


Catalyst

by DustNugget



Series: Interloper [1]
Category: Half-Life
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24561256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustNugget/pseuds/DustNugget
Summary: “The Resonance Cascade. Did you cause it?” she asked.“I cannot deny the part I played in it.”
Series: Interloper [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775287
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	Catalyst

**Author's Note:**

> What if G-man no longer works for his employers, but finds himself allied with the rebels? Takes place in White Forest.

“Mind if I join you?”

He startled, looked up at the woman standing a few feet from him. He hadn’t even heard her approach him.

“No,” he answered plainly as he returned his gaze to the horizon.

She sat down on the ledge and swung her legs over it, making herself as comfortable as the hard concrete would allow.

It was quiet, there were no birds anymore that sang as they returned to nests years long gone.

“I never realised how… beautiful it is.” His voice was low. It was true. He never paid much attention to the scenery. Always observing, yet never seeing.

The sun was setting just to their right, casting long shadows as it made its way behind the mountains.

“I wish I could have seen it before all of,” she motioned to nothing in particular, “this happened.”

He sighed. Of course. She grew up in a world ruined by the Combine. How could he forget?

“Were you really there that day?”

“I was.” Her father must have warned her about him.

She folded her hands in her lap and looked away, in a silent debate with herself while he kept his eyes on the view in front of them.

“Is it your fault?” she asked, looking back at him.

Ah, there it is. There was no accusation in her tone. A simple question, yet he found himself wondering whether he should answer. He’d be honest, but would she appreciate it? She was, after all, one of the few people here who didn’t glare at him as if trying to set him on fire by sheer willpower. Well, openly. Though he didn’t think she was one for hiding her emotions. She was very public about her dislike for Mossman.

He remained silent, gaze settling on the trees next to the building. When he failed to answer she pushed again.

“The Resonance Cascade. Did you cause it?” she asked.

“I cannot deny the part I played in it.” He found he didn’t really want to say it.

“And what was your part?”

He turned to her, observing her for a moment. “Catalyst,” he said. She gave a slight frown. “I provided the crystal that the good Dr Freeman pushed into the anti-mass spectrometer,” he offered. “Black Mesa had been trying their hand at teleportation technology for quite some time. I helped things along.”

She thought for a bit. “Are you saying, it would have happened anyway?”

He nodded. “Indeed, Miss Vance.” He shifted his gaze downward, watching the darkness spread over the ground far beneath their feet. “This path, I’m afraid, was inevitable. My interference, or lack thereof, would not have changed the outcome,” he said. “I merely sped up the events.”

“A catalyst.”

He nodded again then gave a smirk. “Well, I did end up being used, so maybe that analogy isn’t the best.” It’s all he had.

“Your employers, right? How did that go down?”

He chuckled. “I think, Miss Vance, the reason for my… termination would be best left undisclosed.” She gave him an odd look before finally shaking her head.

“If you’re wondering whether or not I remain loyal to my previous employers-“

“A lot of us are wondering that, actually.” She caught his gaze and held it.

Of course they would wonder about his loyalties. He’d be disappointed if they didn't. He had frequently wondered about it ever since he was left alone on this rock. Every time he came to the same conclusion.

“You need not worry about my former allegiances.” He looked away, suddenly unable to hold her gaze any longer. “I do not intend to return to the service of those who betrayed me.”

“Well, as weird as it is,” she got up from her spot on the ledge, “you’re… welcome to stay here.”

He snorted. “We both know that couldn’t be further from the truth.” Welcome to stay. As if any of them really want him here in the first place. “The only thing between me and a prisoner is the surprising lack of bars,” he said dryly. They would never let him leave for fear of him turning traitor. But even if they did, he had nowhere to go.

“Considering what you’ve done I’m actually surprised they let you roam free here.”

He shot her an unamused look to which she only shrugged, sly grin on her face that eventually lost its edge.

“Maybe if you help out instead of avoiding everyone… Who knows?” She turned to leave, then stopped. “We could really use an extra pair of hands around here.” And with that she left him, returning inside the facility.

He sighed deeply. He knew he would need to start contributing somewhere. Perhaps that would get some of them to stop glaring at him whenever he walked past. It’s not like he needed their forgiveness.

But, if he was completely honest with himself, and he would never admit this… he was starting to feel the effects of being isolated in his own mind after having the presence of others in there with him since the he could remember.

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone got any ideas for "G-man got fired" scenarios? Put them in the comments (no relationships though).  
> I'm trying to improve my English by writing stupid fics.


End file.
